Peranakan Culture
Peranakans are descendants of Chinese immigrants who married Malays.
Together, they formed a unique heritage – a sort of melting pot of
Chinese, Malay and later, colonial (i.e. Dutch or British) influences. 
Peranakan Architecture
The
museum is styled like a typical Peranakan home. Peranakans are very
fond of pastel colors and intricate designs. When I first saw the
building, I was quite shocked. It is strikingly similar to my old
WordPress theme, Springley. It made wonder if it is possible for art to be passed down by blood…
Peranakan Wedding
This is the setting where lap chai occurs. Lap chai is a gift-exchange ceremony that takes place one day before the wedding day.
And here is an example of the gifts the groom will bring to the bride’s family.
During lap chai,
the bride and groom are to serve each other’s parents with tea as a
symbol of filial piety and symbol of being accepted into the family.
This is the newlywed’s bedroom. So pretty! But the bed sure looks uncomfortable. :S
And here’s part of the wedding procession. I would like to point out
that the groom’s clothes are very reminiscent of Chinese zombies. For
the longest time, I’ve wondered why Chinese zombies are always portrayed
with Qing Dynasty clothes. Do shed some light, if you know!
Peranakan Superstition
Talking about zombies, Peranakans were highly superstitious people,
which isn’t too surprising since they were heavily influenced by their
Chinese ancestors. They had all sorts of amulets to protect themselves
from evil. These amulets are called tangkal.
Peranakan House
Peranakans had a penchant for naming their houses. As an aside, this could be my house since that’s my last name on the nanyate-esque lanterns.
Peranakan Tableware
Here’s
a shot of Peranakan tableware. As with their houses, most of the
tableware are in brightly colored shades of pastel with patterns
dominated by flowers, butterflies, phoenixes and dragons.
This is a closeup of a Peranakan kamcheng
lid. The detail is amazing! Peranakans meticulously pay the same
attention to detail in everything they do. I marvel at their patience
and at the same time wonder how bored one must of been to design
everything with such intricacy.
These people clearly have never heard of Facebook. 
Peranakan Fashion
As
with Chinese women of long ago, most Peranakan women were not allowed
to leave the house. So they killed time by embroidering and making
gorgeous wallets, shoes and clothes.
Here are some Peranakan purses made with beads.
Here is more hand-embroidery to be later turned into shoes.
To save the best for last, this is how Peranakan women dressed. It’s a fancier version of the traditional Malay attire Kebaya. For the rich, it’s made of imported Chinese silk and hand-embroidered with all sorts of flowers.
My
grandmother still dresses this way whenever she goes out. It’s very
elegant. I really wouldn’t mind a modernized version of this as my
future wedding dress.
Anyway,
I hope you found this entry enlightening. There are lots of more of
the museum that I did not cover since the entry is already getting way
too long. (It’s also taking me forever to resize, watermark and
saturate those photos!)
峇峇娘惹（拼音：Bābā Niángrě），或称土生华人（马来语：Baba Nyonya）是指十五世纪初期定居在满剌伽（马六甲）、满者伯夷国和室利佛逝国（印尼）和淡马锡（新加坡）一带的中国明朝移民后裔。峇峇娘惹也包括少数在唐宋时期定居此地的唐人，但目前没有来源证明唐宋已有唐人定居此地，所以一般上峇峇娘惹都是指明朝移民后裔。这些唐宋明后裔的文化在一定程度上受到当地马来人或其他非华人族群的影响。男性称为峇峇，女性称为娘惹。六十年代以前峇峇娘惹在马来西亚是土著身份（Bumiputra)，但由于某些政党政治因素而被马来西亚政府归类为华人（也就是马来西亚华人），从此失去了土著身份。峇峇娘惹今天在马来西亚宪法上的身份和十九世纪后期来的“新客”无分别。
峇峇与娘惹这些峇峇人，主要是在中国明朝或以前移民到东南亚，大部分的原籍是中国福建或广东潮州地区，小部分是广府和客家籍，很多都与马来人混血。某些峇峇文化具有中国传统文化色彩，例如他们的传统婚礼是以中国传统仪式为主，服饰（尤其是女装）则是从明代的汉服演变而来的可巴雅。峇峇人讲的语言称为峇峇话，并非单纯的福建话，在使用汉语语法的同时，依地区不同，参杂使用马来语与泰语词汇的比例也随之不同。
有些受华文教育的华人也称那些从小受英式教育的华人为“峇峇”，这个用法有藐视的意思，表示此华人已经数典忘祖或者不太像华人了。此外，当地的闽南人亦有句成语叫作‘三代成峇’，根据这句话的定义，所有在马来西亚出生的第三代华人也都成了峇峇，但这句话没有藐视的成份，只是意味到了第三代华人，由于适应当地的社会环境的缘故，其文化难免带有当地色彩。
此外，峇峇亦特指一个自称并被称为“峇峇”的华人族群，也就是今日在马六甲以及马来西亚独立前在槟城和新加坡的峇峇，峇峇华人讲马来语，他们也自称为“Peranakan”——马来语中“土生的人”，故“Cina Peranakan”即土生华人，这一词本用来识别“峇峇人”与“新客”——也就是清末以来从中国来的移民。
在19世纪的马来半岛，这样的分别很明显也很重要，“峇峇”是土生的，而“新客”是移民，两者的生活习惯和政治意识不太一样。虽然现在的马来西亚华人大都是本地出生的，可是“Peranakan”一词已成为“峇峇人”的专用自称。
在今天的马来西亚，一位马来西亚华人男子如取一位马来女子为妻，他自己也要皈依伊斯兰教，取穆斯林名字，他们的子女也不是峇峇娘惹，是混血儿。峇峇娘惹可谓当世产生的特殊族群。
今日世界上峇峇娘惹的人口约八百万,其中印尼约有六百万,泰国约一百万,而马来西亚和新加坡各占五十万。
英殖民地时代
由于英国殖民统治马来亚，故当年大多数土生华人接受英语教育，懂得三种语言能够同时接触中国人，马来人和英国人，也因为他们懂得三种语言的缘故，在英政府统治期间有大部分土生华人从事国家行政和公务员职位。由于长期和英国人交往，有很多土生华人皈依基督教。渐渐地土生华人也就成为了海峡殖民地(槟城，马六甲和新加坡)有影响力的一个团体，并也被称为“King's Chinese ” （国王的华人）同时也效忠英女王。[1] 由于土生华人“土生土长”的身份又受到英政府的重用，生活基本上已经属于富裕，故把后期到来的华人和华工区分为新客。
影视作品
Peranakan Culture
Peranakan Architecture
The museum is styled like a typical Peranakan home. Peranakans are very fond of pastel colors and intricate designs. When I first saw the building, I was quite shocked. It is strikingly similar to my old WordPress theme, Springley. It made wonder if it is possible for art to be passed down by blood…
Peranakan Wedding
This is the setting where lap chai occurs. Lap chai is a gift-exchange ceremony that takes place one day before the wedding day.
And here is an example of the gifts the groom will bring to the bride’s family.
During lap chai, the bride and groom are to serve each other’s parents with tea as a symbol of filial piety and symbol of being accepted into the family.
This is the newlywed’s bedroom. So pretty! But the bed sure looks uncomfortable. :S
And here’s part of the wedding procession. I would like to point out
that the groom’s clothes are very reminiscent of Chinese zombies. For
the longest time, I’ve wondered why Chinese zombies are always portrayed
with Qing Dynasty clothes. Do shed some light, if you know!
Peranakan Superstition
Talking about zombies, Peranakans were highly superstitious people, which isn’t too surprising since they were heavily influenced by their Chinese ancestors. They had all sorts of amulets to protect themselves from evil. These amulets are called tangkal.
Peranakan House
Peranakans had a penchant for naming their houses. As an aside, this could be my house since that’s my last name on the nanyate-esque lanterns.
Peranakan Tableware
Here’s a shot of Peranakan tableware. As with their houses, most of the tableware are in brightly colored shades of pastel with patterns dominated by flowers, butterflies, phoenixes and dragons.
This is a closeup of a Peranakan kamcheng lid. The detail is amazing! Peranakans meticulously pay the same attention to detail in everything they do. I marvel at their patience and at the same time wonder how bored one must of been to design everything with such intricacy.
These people clearly have never heard of Facebook.
Peranakan Fashion
As with Chinese women of long ago, most Peranakan women were not allowed to leave the house. So they killed time by embroidering and making gorgeous wallets, shoes and clothes.
Here are some Peranakan purses made with beads.
Here is more hand-embroidery to be later turned into shoes.
To save the best for last, this is how Peranakan women dressed. It’s a fancier version of the traditional Malay attire Kebaya. For the rich, it’s made of imported Chinese silk and hand-embroidered with all sorts of flowers.
My
grandmother still dresses this way whenever she goes out. It’s very
elegant. I really wouldn’t mind a modernized version of this as my
future wedding dress.
Anyway, I hope you found this entry enlightening. There are lots of more of the museum that I did not cover since the entry is already getting way too long. (It’s also taking me forever to resize, watermark and saturate those photos!)
峇峇娘惹（拼音：Bābā Niángrě），或称土生华人（马来语：Baba Nyonya）是指十五世纪初期定居在满剌伽（马六甲）、满者伯夷国和室利佛逝国（印尼）和淡马锡（新加坡）一带的中国明朝移民后裔。峇峇娘惹也包括少数在唐宋时期定居此地的唐人，但目前没有来源证明唐宋已有唐人定居此地，所以一般上峇峇娘惹都是指明朝移民后裔。这些唐宋明后裔的文化在一定程度上受到当地马来人或其他非华人族群的影响。男性称为峇峇，女性称为娘惹。六十年代以前峇峇娘惹在马来西亚是土著身份（Bumiputra)，但由于某些政党政治因素而被马来西亚政府归类为华人（也就是马来西亚华人），从此失去了土著身份。峇峇娘惹今天在马来西亚宪法上的身份和十九世纪后期来的“新客”无分别。
这些峇峇人，主要是在中国明朝或以前移民到东南亚，大部分的原籍是中国福建或广东潮州地区，小部分是广府和客家籍，很多都与马来人混血。某些峇峇文化具有中国传统文化色彩，例如他们的传统婚礼是以中国传统仪式为主，服饰（尤其是女装）则是从明代的汉服演变而来的可巴雅。峇峇人讲的语言称为峇峇话，并非单纯的福建话，在使用汉语语法的同时，依地区不同，参杂使用马来语与泰语词汇的比例也随之不同。
有些受华文教育的华人也称那些从小受英式教育的华人为“峇峇”，这个用法有藐视的意思，表示此华人已经数典忘祖或者不太像华人了。此外，当地的闽南人亦有句成语叫作‘三代成峇’，根据这句话的定义，所有在马来西亚出生的第三代华人也都成了峇峇，但这句话没有藐视的成份，只是意味到了第三代华人，由于适应当地的社会环境的缘故，其文化难免带有当地色彩。
此外，峇峇亦特指一个自称并被称为“峇峇”的华人族群，也就是今日在马六甲以及马来西亚独立前在槟城和新加坡的峇峇，峇峇华人讲马来语，他们也自称为“Peranakan”——马来语中“土生的人”，故“Cina Peranakan”即土生华人，这一词本用来识别“峇峇人”与“新客”——也就是清末以来从中国来的移民。
在19世纪的马来半岛，这样的分别很明显也很重要，“峇峇”是土生的，而“新客”是移民，两者的生活习惯和政治意识不太一样。虽然现在的马来西亚华人大都是本地出生的，可是“Peranakan”一词已成为“峇峇人”的专用自称。
在今天的马来西亚，一位马来西亚华人男子如取一位马来女子为妻，他自己也要皈依伊斯兰教，取穆斯林名字，他们的子女也不是峇峇娘惹，是混血儿。峇峇娘惹可谓当世产生的特殊族群。
今日世界上峇峇娘惹的人口约八百万,其中印尼约有六百万,泰国约一百万,而马来西亚和新加坡各占五十万。
英殖民地时代
由于英国殖民统治马来亚，故当年大多数土生华人接受英语教育，懂得三种语言能够同时接触中国人，马来人和英国人，也因为他们懂得三种语言的缘故，在英政府统治期间有大部分土生华人从事国家行政和公务员职位。由于长期和英国人交往，有很多土生华人皈依基督教。渐渐地土生华人也就成为了海峡殖民地(槟城，马六甲和新加坡)有影响力的一个团体，并也被称为“King's Chinese ” （国王的华人）同时也效忠英女王。[1] 由于土生华人“土生土长”的身份又受到英政府的重用，生活基本上已经属于富裕，故把后期到来的华人和华工区分为新客。
影视作品
